Bone marrow, liver centres on anvil

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur directs release of funds for transplant facilities

PESHAWAR:

In a proactive move aimed at enhancing healthcare provisions for the people at the provincial level, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has announced the establishment of liver transplant and bone marrow transplant centers. He directed the finance department to prioritize funding for this purpose during a meeting held at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar.

Presiding over the meeting, Chief Minister Gandapur was joined by provincial cabinet members Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Muzammil Aslam, and Mashal Yousufzai, as well as Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, administrative secretaries from relevant departments, and experts from the healthcare sector including Dr. Abdul Wahab Dogar, Dr. Taqi, Dr. General (retd) Pervaiz, and Dr. Mumtaz, among others. Various matters and proposals were discussed with the aim of realizing the decisions regarding the establishment of liver and bone marrow transplant centers.

This initiative marks the first-ever government-level endeavor of its kind in the province. It was decided during the meeting that initially, the liver transplant center would be set up at the Institute of Kidney Diseases in Peshawar, with plans to later relocate it to the under-construction building of Khyber Medical University.

Additionally, the meeting saw the decision to establish the first-ever Institute of Neurosurgery in the province, slated to be housed at Fountain House, Peshawar. Chief Minister Gandapur instructed the relevant authorities to finalize comprehensive plans for these proposed centers and institute, ensuring they encompass all necessary details such as manpower, funds, medical equipment, and administrative structure. He emphasized the need for viable financial plans to sustainably operate these centers.

Expressing the government’s unwavering commitment to providing liver and bone marrow transplant facilities locally, Chief Minister Gandapur emphasized that once established, these centers would eliminate the need for people within the province to seek such services elsewhere.

He further urged authorities to ensure the availability of round-the-clock dialysis services in all government hospitals where this facility already exists, and to take necessary steps to introduce dialysis services in hospitals lacking this provision.

Highlighting the healthcare sector as a priority area for his government, Chief Minister Gandapur pledged to leverage all available resources to furnish the people of the province with quality healthcare facilities.

He made it clear that the plans must include all the details about manpower, funds, medical equipment, and administrative structure required for the centers. The chief minister further directed them to have viable financial plans to run these centers on a sustainable basis.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2024.